mellybrown

i went and got refills on my migraine medication the other - i last refilled it in december and it cost me $12 - this time they wanted $50!!!! how can it have jumped up so much in less than 2 months - its only 12 little pills!!

The medication i have to take every day and the painkiler went up by maybe $2, but nearly $40??? Is that even right????

fatbrit

Check the on-line Canadian pharmacies -- maybe cheaper than your co-pay

scrubbedexpat097

Do you have to make a deductible first?

Bill_S

Did your prescription benefit plan change at all? Different provider (switch from Medco to CVS/Caremark for example)? If it's the same provider, maybe the plan itself changed on Jan 1, 2010. Is it a brand drug or generic? Did you get the prescription filled at a drugstore or by mail? It's also possible that you get a certain number of refills at retail and then must go to mail order or be penalized with a higher co-pay... it depends on the design of your plan.

scrubbedexpat097

I think it's a yearly deductible that needs to be met before co-payment kicks in, we just had that happen. Drugs are usually $4 (generic) but we have a $100 deductible to be met first of all.

mellybrown

I havent changed plans - although the format did change and I dont understand it - now it talks about a $250 deductable??? I guess its something to do with this? I was quite happy paying $10 for this med but its not that great that im going to spend $50 on it! I need to go back to the insurance website and read some more I think - I hate change!!!!

AmerLisa

Then you probably need to meet the deductible first before you get help with the prescriptions.... Consider yourself lucky, our deductibles are $2300 per person.....

penguinbar

Can you get a generic version of the drug? My co pay is $10 for generic and $20 for brand name drugs but if the same medicine comes in generic and I want to get the brand name I must meet the $250 deductable first . For generic there is no deductable.

Duncan Roberts

Look on the bag/bottle and see what the retail price is. If the retail matches the price you paid it's either because of the deductible or it's no longer covered by your plan.

mellybrown

the retail price was $280. Im going to have to assume something to do with the deductable - going to go back and ask for a generic I think!!!

TracyTN

Most insurance companies make these kinds of changes at the end of the calendar year. Sounds like yours did but just didn't do a great job of informing you about the change.

chartreuse

Our plan has a clause where we pay the regular co-pay the first time you fill a prescription (at any pharmacy) but for refills we have to go to an approved on-line pharmacy to keep the regular co-pay. If we refill at a normal pharmacy our co-pay increases.

Noorah101

Changes were made to my insurance coverage as well (last year), but I was not notified of the changes at all. When I complained, I was told it's my own responsibility to look up my coverage on their website (or call a rep) ahead of time, before going ahead with anything. Ugh.

Rene

TracyTN

I guess there's some logic to that actually. I guess the only reason I've known about changes in our plan is my employer posts a notice on their website if something has changed.

Dan725

Sadly it probably is "right"....as per the rest of the medical industry here, it is simply the figure that they decided to pluck out of their ass for the day...